When I got my 200-500 AF-S two weeks ago I noticed soon that this lens is amazingly sharp, also wide open...

and a 100% crop:

While I know that enthusiasm can fool human's ability to observe rationally I did (twice (*)) a controlled test where I compared the 200-500 AF-S against the 80-400 AF-S, the sigma 150-600 C and 3 primes: The nikon 300 F4D, the nikon 300F4E FL-VR and the 400mm AF-S VR F2.8.(*) The repeated test came after the results of the first test seemed too favorable for the 200-500 taking into account the general rule that primes should be (significantly) sharper than a zoom...

I compared them at F5.6 and F7.1.

Test conditions were:

Tripod, and special pro tripod for the 400 F2.8

AF with LV to avoid possibility of AF fine tuning errors

Self timer set at 2 second

exposure delay set at 1 sec

lighting with softbox

Aperture and shutter speed set manually.

Distance to the test target was 5.6 meters.

I cropped each image to the test target outline. You find the full size crops further in this topic.Size of the target crop depending on the focal, 200, 300, 400 or 500mm...

The image of the 80-400 is a little smaller than the same crop from the 200-500 AF-S VR. This means that the 80-400 at 400mm for images taken at short distance isn't really 400mm. this phenomenon is known as Focus Breathing(**) and also appears with the 70-200 AF-S VR (which is acting more like a 160mm at 200mm...)

(**)= What Is Focus Breathing?Focus breathing is term that is used to describe the change in focal length of a lens that occurs as the focus is going from infinity to minimal focus distance, or the other way.

More testing with 200-500 vs primes on D810- with refined testing method

I got quite a bit reactions and observations on my "200-500 AF-S VR compared to other lenses" - topic.

Someone mentioned that the lack of AA filter and significantly more resolution will show more the advantage primes have against a zoom... Did the test again with my D810

Someone else told me that the results of the test could not be correct because of too slow shutter speed and image blur as a result of that... For the new test I used a remote control, self-timer at 10 sec and 3 sec exposure delay mode

Another person believed that touching the shutter button would make the camera/lens combo still vibrate after the 2 seconds self timer + 1 second exposure delay mode... For the new test I used a remote control, self-timer at 10 sec and 3 sec exposure delay mode

Others were very happy with this comparison...

All this finally because people can not believe that a relative inexpensive zoom can be nearly as sharp as a much more expensive prime...

While I appreciate the reactions, I did the test again, with my D810, with remote control, with self timer set at 10 seconds and 3 seconds exposure delay mode...

For the nikkor AF-S 400mm F2.8E FL VR was using like during the first test a very steady tripod...

The primes I used to compare are the nikor 300mm F4E VR and the AF-S nikkor 400mm F2.8E FL VR...